Batman Villains
| ArchVillains = The Joker, Ra's al Ghul, The Riddler | CurrentMembers = Doctor Hurt, Talia al Ghul, Two-Face, The Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Hush, The Great White Shark, The Black Glove, The Club of Villains, Prometheus, The Tally Man, Clayface, Mister Zsasz, The Calculator, Philo Zeiss, Mister Freeze, Doctor Phosphorus, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Hugo Strange, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Facade, Lock-Up, Firefly, The Killer Moth, The Black Spider, Anarky, The Penguin, Bane, The Black Mask, James Gordon, Jr., Firefly, Red Claw | FormerMembers = Catwoman, Bronze Tiger, Catman, The Cavalier, Captain Stingaree, The Red Hood, David Cain, Doctor Double X, Signalman, Poison Ivy | DeceasedMembers = The KGBeast, The Ventriloquist, Magpie, Orca, Maxie Zeus, Nyssa Raatko, Film Freak, King Snake, The NKVDemon, The Ratcatcher, The Reaper, The Ten-Eyed Man, The Mad Monk, The Wrath, Red Hood | Associated = Lex Luthor, Deadshot, Darkseid, Professor Zoom | Origin = | PlaceOfFormation = Gotham City | Creators = Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Julius Schwartz, Dennis O'Neil, Neal Adams | First = | MembershipHistory = Organized Crime The first villains the Batman ever had to fight in Gotham City were naturally the local organized crime syndicates, set in place long before himself. Gotham City is one of the most notorious cities in America for both crime and corruption, and as such has some of the toughest and most relentless mobsters. The Roman Empire During the Batman's first several appearances, Gotham City was largely controlled by the Falcone crime family, a local mafia division with ties reaching far out into Chicago and New York. * Carmine "The Roman" Falcone:First Appearance: Batman #404 Carmine Falcone, nicknamed "The Roman" for his unparalleled dominating expansionism, was the unquestioned crime lord of Gotham for many years. He had virtually all of the city's politicians in his pocket, including chief of police Gillian Loeb, and was met with no competition until the Batman began thwarting his various endeavors. After the mysterious serial killer "Holiday" began bumping off members of his organization, he was forced to hire some of the newly emerged Costumed Freaks in Gotham to help manage his problems, arguably making him responsible for their successful semi-coup of the Gotham Crime Landscape. Falcone was murdered by Harvey Dent, shortly after he became Two-Face. Falcone had three children: :* Sofia Gigante: The daughter of mob boss Carmine Falcone, as well as the new leader of the Falcone crime family following his death. She was also the serial killer know as the Hangman who murdered police officers on holidays. :* Alberto Falcone:First Appearance: Batman: The Long Halloween #1 The son of Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, Gotham City's untouchable crimelord, who became a serial killer known as Holiday. :* Mario Falcone: Carmine's eldest son, deported to Italy for criminal activities. He was shot dead by Two-Face. * Sal "The Boss" Maroni:First Appearance: Another of the most prominent mobsters in Gotham City at the time of the Falcones, who also worked for the Roman Empire, was Sal Maroni, the leader of the Maroni Crime Family. Maroni helped fund some of the earliest experiments of Dr. Hugo Strange, and was responsible for the birth of Two-Face when he cast acid into the face of his prosecuting lawyer (alternatively Harvey Dent or Kent). He was killed by Alberto Falcone. Maroni had two sons, Pino and Umberto. They were both killed on the Columbus day massacre. Rupert Thorne * Boss Rupert Thorne:First Appearance: Prominent head of one of Gotham City's top smuggling gangs. He is also the boss of "Matches" Malone, the criminal whose identity was taken over by Batman. :* Mayor Hamilton Hill: A corrupt politician who became mayor of Gotham City thanks to Rupert Thorne. He helped Thorne oppose Batman, notably by firing Commissioner James Gordon. He was removed from office and disappeared. :* Commissioner Peter Pauling: Puppet commissioner instated by Mayor Hill, on the behest of Rupert Thorne. He was killed after Hugo Strange manipulated him into thinking Hill and Thorne wanted him dead. Assorted * Joe Chill:First Appearance: Joe Chill was the low-level mobster who murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne in a mugging and was first arrested the same night he murdered them, but has since become somewhat more of an entrepreneur. He was killed. * Tony Zucco:First Appearance: Tony Zucco is the mobster responsible for murdering Dick Grayson's parents when the owner of Haly's Circus refused to pay protection money. Zucco's second in command and closest friend was the head of the Skeevers Crime Family, Eddie Skeevers who assisted Zucco in his plot to kill the Graysons. He is deceased. * Lew Moxon:First Appearance: Lew Moxon is traditionally held as responsible for the deaths of the Waynes, having hired Joe Chill to do it and make it look like an accident. Post-Infinite Crisis however, Joe Chill seems to have acted alone. Central rogues' gallery * The Joker:First Appearance: Batman #1 The Joker is perhaps one of Batman's oldest and most dedicated foes. A sadistic clown bent on chaotic nihilism and grinning death, despite having no obvious powers, he has presented more of a challenge to Batman over the years than any number of those more powerful or well-trained than himself. He is responsible for, among other things, the murder of the second Robin, Jason Todd, and the paralyzing of Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, who he made into a paraplegic. * The Riddler:First Appearance: Detective Comics #140 Edward Nigma is a criminal mastermind who delights in rivaling Batman intellectually and has a strange compulsion to challenge Batman by leaving clues to his crimes in the form of riddles and puzzles. Despite his obsession, the Riddler is an extremely intelligent foe and has proven himself a capable arch-enemy of Batman, once even manipulating his entire rogues gallery in a mass conspiracy. * Two-Face:First Appearance: Detective Comics #66 Harvey Dent, formerly Gotham City's District Attorney and one of the Batman's closest friends and allies, who had half of his face horribly scarred in an acid attack that left him insane. He's completely obsessed with the number "2," duality, and fate. As such, all of the crimes that he commits revolve around the number "2." He carries a double-headed coin around with him that has one of the heads scarred, and he flips the coin before he makes any decisions involving a question of law and illegal activities; even when it would senselessly inconvenience him, sometimes surrendering when he otherwise could have escaped. Batman considers Harvey Dent's descent into madness to be one of his own greatest failures. * The Penguin:First Appearance: Detective Comics #58 Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot is a short, round man with a long pointed nose, who fancies himself a gentleman of crime. He is also an enemy to Batman's civilian identity, since he blames the Waynes for the fall of his family. He usually wears a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle, and carries any variety of umbrellas which have various hidden functions such as vehicles or weapons. He sometimes gives Batman information in exchange for shorter sentences and to eliminate rivals. * Catwoman:First Appearance: Batman #1 Selina Kyle is one of Batman's most famous villains and love interests. She started as a criminal who wore a cat-themed costume and often operated as an expert burglar, but developed a love/hate relationship with Batman. For years, she skirted on the line between villain and antiheroine. However, over time she became more heroic and adopted the role of the guardian of Gotham City's crime-infested East End, though she still comes into conflict with Batman on occasion. * Bane:First Appearance: Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 An escaped prisoner from Santa Prisca, an island prison in South America, Bane has abnormal strength as a result of having had experiments with a derivative of the drug Venom performed on him. He is also one of Batman's most strategically gifted foes. He became known as "The Man Who Broke the Bat" when he broke Batman's spinal cord, forcing Bruce Wayne to give up the Batman persona while he recuperated. * Hush:First Appearance: Batman #609 Bruce Wayne's childhood friend Tommy Elliot blamed Thomas Wayne for saving the life of his mother, who he hated and had tried to murder. Years later he resurfaced taking up the guise of "Hush," and coordinated a massive physical and psychological attack from many different fronts using the other members of Batman's rogues gallery as accomplices or pawns. * Killer Croc:First Appearance: Batman #358 Waylon Jones is a former crocodile wrestler turned criminal who was deformed by mutation into a humongous humanoid lizard. He has low intelligence but great strength, as well as crocodilian abilities, such as a keener sense of smell and the ability to hold his breath underwater for long periods of time. He is also a known cannibal. * Poison Ivy:First Appearance: Batman #181 Pamela Lillian Isley, a former student of advanced botanical biochemistry, employs plants of all varieties and their derivatives in her crimes, which are usually of an eco-terroristic variety. She possesses both the ability to control/manipulate all plant life and an immunity to all known poisons and toxins. She is often described as fanatical about defending plants from humans, even being willing to murder for her beliefs. She also has a love/hate relationship with Batman. In some instances she claims to love him, in other encounters she functions as an ally, and at other times she is more than willing to kill him. * Scarecrow:First Appearance: World's Finest Comics #3 Professor Jonathan Crane, an insane scientist and psychiatrist, specializes in the nature of fear. Dressed symbolically as a scarecrow, he employs special weapons, equipment and techniques designed to use fear to his advantage in his crimes. His most iconic item is his signature Fear Gas, which he uses to induce hallucinations in anyone exposed to it of what they fear most. * Professor Hugo Strange:First Appearance: First gaining fame as a psychiatrist who declared that he'd fully analyzed the Dark Knight from afar, Professor Hugo Strange lent credence to his own claims by deducing Batman's true identity as Bruce Wayne. However, his interest in the Batman turned into a deranged obsession, and he's used his medical expertise to hatch a series of bizarre plots based around genetics and mind control in order to defeat the Batman and possibly take his place. Strange's fragile mental state has left him with intermittent knowledge of Batman's true identity, a fact that hangs over Bruce Wayne's head - for if Strange ever snaps completely, Batman's greatest secret might be revealed. He is notable as Batman's first recurring major enemy. * The Black Mask: :* Roman Sionis:First Appearance: Batman #386 Following the suspicious death of his multi-millionaire parents in a fire, Roman Sionis inherited their fortune and then went on to bankrupt their company. Saved by a buyout by Bruce Wayne, Sionis came to resent and hate Wayne. Fixated on the concept of masks, Sionis carved one from his father's black coffin and sought revenge; his ensuing battle with the Dark Knight caused his mask to be burnt into his skin, remaking him as the Black Mask. Sionis is a feared gang leader and one of the most powerful mob bosses in Gotham, with a burning hatred for the Batman. :* Jeremiah Arkham: Doctor Jeremiah Arkham was the somewhat sadistic administrator of Arkham Asylum who naively believed that the criminals he housed could one day be rehabilitated. After the death of Roman Sionis, he took up the mask of Black Mask. The new Black Mask quickly made a name for himself by blowing up Arkham Asylum and forcing Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Firefly and others to work for him. Black Mask's identity was revealed to be Dr. Jeremiah Arkham after Batman captured him. He became an inmate in Arkham Asylum. * The Mad Hatter: Jervis Tetch, formerly a research scientist, is completely smitten with the works of Lewis Carroll. As his criminal name indicates, he takes the appearance of the Mad Hatter from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He is an insane neuroscientist and developed hardware that can control the brain and induce hypnotic states, and often uses hats or other headgear for mind control. * Mister Freeze:First Appearance: Batman #121 Dr. Victor Fries was formerly a scientist and is an expert on cryonics. After his wife Nora Fries became ill, he tried to cryopreserve her until a cure was found for her disease. During the process, an accident caused his body to function only below freezing point, requiring him to wear a special self-contained refrigeration suit. He acts as an occasional ally to Batman, if he believes it will help save Nora. He uses similar ice technology for weapons. * The Ventriloquist and Scarface: :* Arnold Wesker: Arnold Wesker is a small, mild-mannered ventriloquist who becomes a dangerous criminal and crime boss when voicing his puppet, Scarface. :* Peyton Riley: A female Ventriloquist who took up the role after the death of Arnold Wesker. :* Shauna Belzer: A female Ventriloquist who operates with her own puppet, Ferdie. * The Red Hood: :* The Joker: Originally, the identity of "The Red Hood" was used by a gang of thugs who wished to present the illusion they were working under a mastermind in order to divert blame from themselves. They would hire a new person for every job they pulled to wear the Red Hood helmet, and the police were none the wiser. The Red Hood came to an end when one of their stooges, wearing it during a robbery at the Ace Chemical Processing Plant, fell into a vat of toxin and nearly drowned. This man, driven insane by the chemicals, would later evolve into The Joker. :* Jason Todd: Formerly the second Robin, Jason Todd was killed by the Joker, who beat him half to death and left him in an exploding warehouse. Having been resurrected, Jason re-emerged years later as the new Red Hood, ironically the Joker's old alias. Unlike his former mentor, he has shown he has no problem with killing criminals. He actively tries to cleanse Gotham City of corruption, such as the illegal drug trade and gang violence, but in a violent, anti-heroic way. He eventually came to blows against Batman and other heroes, but later softened his stance and became an accepted member of the Batman Family. * Man-Bat: Dr. Kirk Langstrom is a great scientist who is unfortunately cursed to periodically turn into an animalistic humanoid bat. In his monstrous form, he often fights Batman, but in his usual identity Kirk Langstrom is Batman's ally. * Mister Zsasz:First Appearance: Victor Zsasz is a sadistic serial killer and cannibal who keeps a tally of his victims by cutting new scars into his body with his trademark carving knife. He is easily one of the most insane and blood thirsty of Batman's foes. * Firefly: Garfield Lynns, an orphan who became a pyromaniac and has developed a fireproof suit and flamethrower to further pursue his 'hobby'. Another man named Ted Carson with same obsession with flames. * Harley Quinn:First Appearance: Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a former criminal psychiatrist, fell in love with the Joker and became his most famous accomplice. Her costume is inspired by the outfit of a traditional harlequin jester. She affectionately refers to the Joker as "Puddin'" and "Mistah' J", and is best friends and occasional lovers with Poison Ivy. * Clayface: :*'Basil Karlo':First Appearance: Detective Comics #40 The original Clayface, Basil Karlo was an actor who was driven mad when he heard of a re-make of the classic horror film he had starred in, The Terror. Adopting the persona of the film's villain "Clayface", he became a serial killer targeting the cast and crew. He was eventually stopped by Batman and Robin. Later, Karlo would be imbued with the powers of Clayfaces Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller. Additionally, his body sports crystals similar to quartz that endow him with greater powers. In this form he is known as the "Ultimate Clayface." :*'Matthew Hagen':First Appearance: Detective Comics #298 Was a treasure hunter who happened upon a radioactive pool of protoplasm. He submerged himself in it, granting himself powers allowing him to transform into almost any shape. Hagen was ultimately killed during the 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths. :*'Preston Payne':First Appearance: Detective Comics #478 Suffered from hyperpituitarism and worked at S.T.A.R. Labs to search for a cure. He obtained a sample of the then-living Matt Hagen's blood, and isolated an enzyme which he introduced into his own bloodstream. His flesh began to melt, however, and he built an exoskeleton anti-melting suit to not only preserve himself, but to also prevent him from touching anyone, as he also gained the ability to melt people with a touch. He soon learned that he needed to spread his melting contagion onto others to survive. :*'Sondra Fuller':First Appearance: Batman and the Outsiders #21 Has abilities similar to Matt Hagen, but can also mimic the special power of the being she is mimicking. She met and fell in love with Preston Payne, and the two had a son named Cassius, the fifth Clayface. :*'Cassius Clay Payne': Son of Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller, and the fifth Clayface. * Catman: Thomas Blake was a world-famous trapper of jungle cats who turned to crime after he had grown bored with hunting and had squandered most of his fortune. He became a burglar who committed his crimes in a catsuit made out of an ancient African cloth which he believed gave him a cat's nine lives. * Killer Moth: Cameron van Cleer/Drury Walker was an anti-Batman who aided criminals just as Batman aids the police, but only for money. He briefly sold his soul to become the monster Charaxes. * Deadshot: Floyd Lawton is a hired assassin, regularly boasting to "never miss." He is capable of using a large variety of weapons, but prefers using a pair of silenced, wrist-mounted guns. He is the world's greatest assassin after Deathstroke. He is also a member of the Suicide Squad. * Deathstroke: Deathstroke the Terminator or Slade Wilson is a mercenary with strength, speed, and intellect that rival Batman's. He is regarded as one of the best if not the best strategist on the planet. He gained these powers through military enhancements. Deathstroke has fought Batman multiple times before, though most of the time, the result is inconclusive. He fought Batman to a standstill in Infinite Crisis and only lost when Robin and Nightwing stepped in to help Batman. He is the main enemy however of the Teen Titans. The League of Assassins * Ra's al Ghul:First Appearance: Batman #232 Ra's al Ghul is a centuries-old international eco-terrorist who leads the League of Assassins. He was one of the first to deduce the Batman's secret identity, and as such maintains an intimate relationship with him, going so far as to support an on/off relationship between Batman and al Ghul's own daughter, Talia. He lives in a state of somewhat immortality, thanks to the help of revitalizing Lazarus Pits. He has been alive for centuries and is incredibly intelligent and agile, having had time to train his mind and body to their absolute peaks. His name translates literally as "The Demon's Head," and he is credited with establishing the League of Assassins to further his goals. Ra's has two daughters and a son: :* Talia al Ghul:First Appearance: Detective Comics 411 Talia is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Her father encouraged a relationship between Talia and Batman, desiring for Batman to marry his daughter in hopes of recruiting him as his successor. Talia admired Batman in his drive, determination, and nobility, but was always torn between him and the love for her terrorist father. In recent years, Talia has grown more antagonistic and established herself as a villain in her own right. She is the father of Bruce Wayne's only biological son, Damian. :* Nyssa Raatko:First Appearance: Batman: Death and the Maidens #1 The daughter of Ra's al Ghul, born in St. Petersburg in 1775, and a Holocaust survivor. She eventually broke off from her father and his crusade, which resulted in a rift between them. She was responsible for brainwashing her half-sister Talia into despising not only Batman, but their father as well, whom she ended up killing with a sword. Nyssa was killed in a car bombing in Northern Africa, presumably by the League of Assassins. :* Dusan al Ghul: Ra's al Ghul's only son. He was disowned by Ra's for being an albino. He attempted to use his nephew Damian as a replacement body for his father, before using himself as one. * The League of Assassins:First Appearance: Strange Adventures #215 :* The Sensei:First Appearance: Strange Adventures #215 An aged martial arts master from Hong Kong, he was Darrk's second in command. He was put in charge of the League after Darrk's death. However, he would prove just as disloyal as his predecessor, and the Sensei would eventually struggle with Ra's al Ghul for the control of the organization. One of his personal goals is to raise assassination to an artform. He was revealed as Ra's al Ghul's father in . :* Doctor Darrk:First Appearance: Strange Adventures #215 He is the first known individual assigned to head the League of Assassins by Ra's al Ghul. Although many of the League's leaders over the years have been accomplished martial artists, Daark himself did not depend on physical prowess, and as an assassin he instead relied upon careful planning and manipulation, ambushes and death traps, as well as a variety of cleverly concealed weapons and poisons. After earning Ra's enmity (for reasons unknown) Daark died during a plot to kidnap Talia which was foiled by Batman. :* Lady Shiva:First Appearance: Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #5 A mercenary assassin who once trained Batman, and is possibly the greatest female martial artist alive in the DC Universe; one of Batman's true physical rivals. She is also the biological mother of Cassandra Cain. :* David Cain:First Appearance: Batman #567 David Cain is one of the world's premier assassins, whose victims have included some of the most famous and powerful people on the planet. He trained the young Bruce Wayne with the skills that he would use as Batman, although Bruce has never used such techniques. Regarding his training, Batman explained, "Knowing how to kill doesn't mean you must kill." On one occasion, he framed Bruce Wayne for murder. He is the biological father of Cassandra Cain. The Court of Owls *'Court of Owls': A group of reclusive rich people running Gotham from the shadows. ** Talons: Specially trained assassins that work for the Court of Owls. *** Lincoln March: A corrupt politician that works for the Court. He is one of many Talons and believes he is Bruce's younger brother, though this has never been conclusively proven. *** Calvin Rose: A former circus performer that was trained by the Court. He left the Court before they gave him their immortality serum. *** Strix: She was sent to kill Barbara Gordon. She later betrayed the Court due to feeling a kinship with Batgirl as a result of their status as women wearing masks. *** William Cobb: The oldest and possibly the first Talon. He claims that he murdered several members of the Wayne Family, including possibly Alan Wayne. * Barbatos: A demon from the Dark Multiverse. He is the true leader and founder of the Court of Owls. ** Dark Knights: *** The Batman who Laughs: A version of Bruce Wayne that got infected with a virus that turned him into the Joker. *** The Merciless *** The Drowned *** The Red Death *** Murder Machine: A version of Bruce Wayne who went mad after losing Alfred and became a murderous cyborg. *** The Dawnbreaker *** Devastator: A version of Bruce Wayne who infected himself with the Doomsday virus to kill a brainwashed Superman. | MinorVillains = * Abbatoir:First Appearance: Detective Comics #625 Arnold Etchison is a serial killer who killed his family members. * Alfred Stryker:First Appearance: The first villain Batman ever encountered. * Amygdala:First Appearance: Batman: Shadow of the Bat #3 Aaron Helzinger, a powerful behemoth with a child-like temper; he is quick to anger and turns into a murdering monster. * Anarky: Lonnie Machin, a teenage prodigy who, believing in anarchism, creates improvised gadgets and attempts to subvert government in order to improve society. Batman recognizes him as a force for good, but does not support his violent methods. He is believed to be the son of the Joker. In the Prime Earth, Samuel Young was Anarky for a time. * Batzarro: Wayne Bruce is a distorted clone of Batman, presumably created through the same process as Bizarro, the failed clone of Superman. At times it seems as though Batzarro is trying to aid Batman, but his mangled dialogue and inexplicable actions make it difficult to be sure. Batzarro describes himself as "the world's worst detective". * Bird: Bird was a member of Bane's gang and was instrumental in helping Bane in his efforts become the new crimelord of Gotham. * Blockbuster: The first Blockbuster, Mark Desmond, is a mindless behemoth who was controlled by his brother to commit crimes. Roland Desmond became the second Blockbuster, also becoming a brainless brute like his brother, but later gaining a genius level intellect. * Black and White Bandit: Roscoe Chiara was once an artist who was commissioned to paint Winsor Munsell, an art lover and head of a chemical corporation. His company had created new pigments for painting; the paints were untested and Roscoe Chiara had become color-blind as a result of the pigments. In revenge, he became the Black and White Bandit and began a campaign against Munsell. * The Black Glove: A corrupt organization of Gotham's elite, led by Simon Hurt. :* The Club of Villains: A group of villains led by Simon Hurt. ::* Doctor Hurt: A deranged psychiatrist heading the Black Glove to destroy Batman, body and soul. He claims to be Thomas Wayne and wears the Bat-suit that Bruce's father once wore to a costume party. He is revealed to be an ancestor of Bruce Wayne who shares his father's name. It is implied that Hurt is in fact the Devil. ::* Le Bossu: A French villain dressed as a hunchback, with henchmen dressed as gargoyles. His real identity is brilliant neurosurgeon and 'family man' Guy Dax, who uses the Hunchback persona to live out the violent fantasies which he suppresses by day. He is shown to admire the Joker, until the latter disfigures him with a razor; however, he sees his disfigurement as an opportunity to give up his old life and become a sadistic monster permanently. ::* Pierrot Lunaire: A foe of the Musketeer who dresses as the Commedia dell'arte character Pierrot. Owing to the tradition of Mimes, he never speaks. ::* King Kraken: A masked deep sea diver whose weapon of choice is a high voltage electric rifle. A foe of Wingman. He believes that "henchmen are for wussies". ::* Charlie Caligula: A madman whose schemes are inspired by Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire. A foe of the Legionary. He was briefly tortured and left for dead by Batman while the crimefighter was in his "Batman of Zur-En-Arrh" persona. ::* Swagman: A gunman who speaks in an Australian accent and wears a costume based on the clothes of Australian bandit Ned Kelly. An enemy of Dark Ranger. ::* El Sombrero: Archenemy of El Gaucho, a lunatic in a luchador mask who designs fantastic and almost inescapable death traps for anyone who's willing to pay. John Mayhew posed as him in order to attempt at escaping culpability for his crimes shortly before the Black Glove executed him. The real Sombrero was murdered by the Joker. ::* Scorpiana: A sultry assassin who uses a blue scorpion as her calling card. A foe of El Gaucho. * The Black Spider:First Appearance: Detective Comics #463 Black Spider uses the latest in high tech weaponry, such as laser assisted rifles. He is an Olympic level athlete and has trained intensely in many forms of physical combat. There have been three individuals that have taken on the identity. * Boneblaster: * The Broker: Sells hideouts to super-villains. * Calendar Man: Julian Day is known for committing crimes that corresponded with holidays and significant dates. Originally a gimmicky villain, he later became a serial killer. * Candyman: A big time crime boss of Gotham in the future (mentioned only). * Captain Stingaree:First Appearance: Detective Comics #460 Karl Courtney is a criminal who commits crimes using a pirate motif. * Catgirl: Kitrina Falcone, previously known as Kittyhawk, is a sidekick of Catwoman. * The Cavalier:First Appearance: Detective Comics #81 A swordsman who speaks in Shakespearean English and dresses in a French musketeer costume. His real name is Mortimer Drake. A second Cavalier, Hudson Pyle, shows up in the story "Blades." In this version, the Cavalier is a swashbuckling hero who becomes a media darling. * Chancer: Chancer is a thief from Texas wanted for over 20 different robberies. He is a generally overconfident character with an unusual amount of luck. * Circus of Strange: An assemblage of villains lead by Professor Pyg. :* Professor Pyg: Professor Pyg is a deranged gang leader who wears a pig mask and grafts synthetic doll faces onto his victims, whom he uses as henchmen, which he calls Dollotrons. :* Phosphorus Rex: Phosphorus Rex is a genteel Englishman with a flaming head and hands. :* Big Top: Big Top is an morbidly obese bearded lady in a tutu. :* Mister Toad: Mister Toad is the first "criminal" Dick Grayson confronted as Batman. He was killed by Joker. :* Siam: Conjoined triplets in the Circus of Strange. * Clock King: A minor Batman villain who is infamous for his impeccable timing. * Cluemaster: Arthur Brown is a former game show host who turned to a life of crime and left clues at the scenes of his crimes. He is also the father of Stephanie Brown, who became the Spoiler and the third Batgirl. * Condiment King:First Appearance: Birds of Prey #37 A villain who makes use of various condiments, sometimes capable of causing anaphylactic shock, as his weapons. * Conundrum: * Cornelius Stirk:First Appearance: Detective Comics #592 * Council of Spiders: :* Funnel: :* Goliath: :* Recluse: :* Sac: :* Tangle: :* The Wanderer: :* Widower: :* Wolf: * Count Vertigo: A villain with the ability to make anyone suffer from vertigo. * Crazy Quilt:First Appearance: Boy Commandos #15 A blind villain obsessed with colors. * The Crime Doctor:First Appearance: Detective Comics #77 * Deacon Blackfire:First Appearance: Batman: The Cult #1 Joseph Blackfire was a religious leader bent on taking over Gotham City, who may or may not have been over a hundred years old; he crossed paths with Batman during the events of "Batman: The Cult." Blackfire organized an army of homeless people, and even brainwashed the Batman himself into his ranks. They waged a violent and bloody war on crime, which resulted in the deaths of many innocents. Blackfire was eventually murdered by his own followers. * Death Rattle: Erasmus "Death Rattle" Rayne was a cult leader and a serial killer. He was a self-proclaimed psychic and founder of his own religion, and was completely amoral and wildly unpredictable. Rayne was convinced he could commune with the dead, and listened when the voices in his head told him to kill 56 members of his own ministry. He was imprisoned within Arkham Asylum, where he shared a cell with Warren White, and later died. * Diesel: * The Director: * Doctor Aesop: Doctor Aesop is a criminal who orchestrates crimes based upon the morality plays found in Aesop's Fables. * Doctor Death:First Appearance: Detective Comics #29 Dr. Karl Hellfern is a typical mad scientist who made a few appearances in the earliest days of Batman and is typically considered Batman's first supervillain. Doctor Death developed lethal chemical gases, and threatened wealthy citizens, demanding money and tribute to him in exchange for their safety. In more recent years, he has been reimagined as a dealer in black market biological weapons. * Doctor Double X:First Appearance: Detective Comics #261 * Doctor Phosphorus Alexander Sartorius is a mad criminal with radioactive powers. * Doodlebug:First Appearance: Arkham Asylum: Living Hell Daedalus Boch is an artist who believes he receives visions of inspiration and then compulsively recreates them on whatever canvas they indicate, including people. * Double Dare: A pair of circus acrobats decided to make some fast cash by robbing Blüdhaven's criminals as the dynamic duo Double Dare. * Duela Dent: Also known as the Joker's Daughter. She is the child of the Earth-3 versions of Joker and Two Face. * Egghead: A villain with an obsession for eggs. * The Electrocutioner:First Appearance: Batman #331 A vigilante who kills criminals with electricity. He is later killed by Adrian Chase. Two successors later appear, one a hitman for the mob and the other, Lester Buchinsky, the younger brother of the original. * The Eraser: Leonard Fiasco is a professional at covering the tracks of other crimes. For a 20 percent cut, the Eraser will 'erase' the evidence of another crime. * Etrigan: Etrigan is a demon who has battled Batman in the past. * Facade:First Appearance: Detective Comics #821 Erik Hanson, a former employee at a trendy Gotham City nightclub for the city's popular socialites, he organizes a gang to replace them as a ploy to enter Gotham's elite. * False Face Society: An organization of masked henchmen who work for notorious Gotham City crime boss Black Mask. * Film Freak:First Appearance: Batman #395 Burt Weston is a failed actor and stuntman turned criminal. He was killed by Bane. * Firebug:First Appearance: Batman #318 A rival of Firefly's who shares his love of arson. * Flamingo: A cannibalistic killer who rides a motorcycle and dresses head-to-toe in pink. * Frenchy Blake'First Appearance: The mastermind behind a jewels stealing racket. * 'Fright: Linda Friitawa is an albino geneticist who was stripped of her medical license for her unauthorized, gruesome experiments on human beings. She assisted the Scarecrow with his experiments; however, oblivious to Scarecrow, she was secretly hired by the Penguin to corrupt Scarecrow's toxins and infect Scarecrow with them, causing him to transform into a creature dubbed the 'Scarebeast'. * Gaggy: Gaggy is a old henchman & sidekick to the Joker. * Gentleman Ghost: An undead man from victorian London. * The Globe:First Appearance: Detective Comics #840 Hammond Carter is obsessed with maps and "plots crimes by latitude, longitude, time zones and the shape of landmasses." * The Great White Shark:First Appearance: Arkham Asylum: Living Hell Formerly crooked investor Warren "The Great White Shark" White, who avoided prison time by pleading insanity and was sentenced to Arkham Asylum. There, among other indignities and torture, White was assaulted and locked in a refrigeration unit by Jane Doe, who was attempting to take his identity. His injuries, compiled with excessive frost bite, left White deformed, leaving him resembling a great white shark and driven partially insane. He now uses his business connections to serve as a liaison and fence for many of his fellow inmates. * Hellhound: Hellhound is an attack-dog trainer and a skilled martial artist. * Henri Ducard: Henri Ducard was once one of Batman's teachers in the art of manhunting, investigation and deduction. Bruce left Ducard's tutelage when he discovered that he was an assassin for hire. * Humpty Dumpty:First Appearance: Arkham Asylum: Living Hell Humphrey Dumpler, a large, portly, well-mannered man, is obsessed with putting broken things back together again, even if he has to take them apart. Thinking she was broken, Dumpler dismembered and reassembled his abusive grandmother in an attempt to fix her. * Jackanapes: Jackanapes is a gorilla in a clown costume that wields a machete and submachine gun. He appears as an enemy of Damian Wayne in the future. * James Gordon, Jr.: The sociopathic son of Commissioner Gordon and brother of Barbara Gordon. He killed and took apart several animals as a child and is implied to have killed a woman and melted down her body with chemicals for making fun of his intelligence. He later reversed the effects of the anti-psychotic drugs he was on and gave them to infants to create a new generation of psychopaths. He also hinted that he inspired Joker to cripple Barbara. * Jane Doe:First Appearance: Arkham Asylum: Living Hell #1 Jane Doe is a cipher who obsessively learns her victims' personality and mannerisms, then kills them and assumes their identity by wearing their skin, eventually becoming that individual even in her own mind. * Jazzman: Jimmy Peake, a.k.a Jazzman, is a gangster in Gotham City. He has the odd eccentricity of using a lot of music-related terms in his speech. * Johnny Stitches: * Junkyard Dog: Tucker Long was completely obsessed with scavenging prizes and treasures from garbage. He apparently had the ability to create all manner of functional things – especially weapons – from junk. He was killed by fellow Arkham inmate Doodlebug. * Kabuki Twins: The henchwomen of the Penguin, the Kabuki Twins' origins are unknown, but it is presumed the Penguin picked them up in his trip to the Orient. * The KGBeast:First Appearance: Batman #417 The KGBeast was a rogue KGB assassin who first came to Gotham City to assassinate a number of political targets, including Ronald Reagan. During the events of Ten Nights of the Beast, while fighting Batman, he was forced to chop off his own hand with an axe to avoid being captured; he had it replaced with a mounted multi-purpose machine gun and bayonet. * King Coal: * King Snake: Sir Edmund Dorrance is a martial artist who became a mercenary, offering his professional expertise to various anti-communist rebels, and apparently made a great deal of money in doing so. He later became a businessman and the leader of the feared Ghost Dragons, before joining the terrorist cult Kobra. It was later revealed that he is the biological father of Bane. * King Tut: His criminal theme is based around Ancient Egypt, similar to the way that Ancient Greece is the theme for Maxie Zeus. * Kite Man: Charles "Chuck" Brown, alias Kite Man, is a criminal in Gotham City that commits crimes by arming himself with kite weapons and hang-gliding on a big kite. * Lady Vic: Descending from a line of wealthy English aristocratic mercenaries, she wields the heirlooms of her descendants trade (Flintlock Pistols and various melee weapons) with an exceptional degree of skill. * Little Italy: * Lock-Up: Lyle Bolton is a man specializing in incarceration and high tech security systems who was discharged from the police academy for being too gung-ho, and dismissed from several security jobs. He once set up a private prison for costumed villains. * Loveless: A big time crime boss of Gotham in the future (mentioned only). * Lunkhead: Lunkhead was a large, somewhat imposing deformed bruiser of a man. He was killed by demons tricked by the Ventriloquist as revenge for destroying his Scarface puppet. * Lynx: * The Mad Monk:First Appearance: A master vampire and head of a secret cult who became interested in the life of Julie Madison and thus was confronted and stopped by Batman. * Madame X: Madame X attempted to poison Gotham's water supply but was stopped by Batman. * Magpie: Margaret Pye is a jewel thief who targets only jewels named after birds, and then replaces the jewels with booby-trapped replicas. * Master Bruce: A deranged boy who idolizes Bruce Wayne. He had his butler murder his parents and carved the names of Martha and Thomas Wayne in his face to be more like Bruce. * Matches Malone: A minor gangster that worked for Rupert Thorne. Batman sometimes uses his identity when undercover. * Maxie Zeus: A former history teacher who became an insane mob boss with a penchant for Greek mythology. Maxie has a god complex and usually uses electrically-based weaponry to emulate the Greek god Zeus. * Max Roboto: Max Roboto is a cyborg with a partially cybernetic face. He appears as an enemy of Damian Wayne in the future. * Mime: Camilla Ortin is a girl who commits crimes dressed as a mime. She seldom speaks, which leads people to think she is mute. * Mister Fixx: Mister Fixx was Derek Powers' personal assistant and bodyguard. He was a ruthless brute, devoid of any sense of morality or mercy. * Mister ZZZ: * Monster Men: The Monster Men were a race of super-beings engineered by Hugo Strange with a growth serum. * Moon Gang: The Moon Gang are standard theme villains with bubble helmets and ray guns. * The Mortician: Porter Vito is a morgue worker who tried desperately to revive his dead parents. He raised an entire army of zombies to battle Batman. * Music Meister: A man who is able to hypnotize people with his singing. * Mutants: A violent gang in the future Gotham. * The NKVDemon: * Nocturna: Natalia Knight is a thief and manipulator. She has also been a love interest of Batman. * Onomatopoeia: Onomatopoeia is a serial killer who targets non-powered, vigilante superheroes. He earned his name because he imitates noises around him, such as dripping taps, gunshots etc. No personal characteristics are known about Onomatopoeia, including his real name or facial features. Onomatopoeia is a superb athlete, martial artist and weapons expert. He carries two semiautomatic handguns, a sniper rifle and an army knife. * Orca: Grace Balin is a marine biologist who transforms herself into a monstrous orca. * Pearly King: * Pearly Prince: * Penny Plunderer: Joe Coyne, a thief obsessed with penny-oriented crimes, started his career selling newspapers for pennies. He was later caught stealing pennies. The giant penny on display in the Batcave, which has been a longtime staple of Batman's lair, was originally one of the Penny Plunderer's devices. * Phantasm: Once the daughter of a well known Gotham business man and girlfriend of Bruce Wayne, Andrea Beaumont became a reaper for those involved with organized crime in Gotham City as the methodical Phantasm. * Polka Dot Man: A minor Batman villain who turns the Polka-Dots on his costume into weapons. * Professor Milo: Professor/Doctor Achilles Milo is a scientist who uses chemicals to battle Batman. He also uses animal men he creates. * Professor Zoom: After remembering his life before Flashpoint, specifically, when that timeline's Thomas Wayne killed him, he attempted to kill Bruce. * Prometheus: He is the son of two hippie criminals who travelled across the United States with him. They committed indiscriminate murders and thefts, often of a brutal nature (similar to Bonnie and Clyde). Eventually they were cornered and forced the police to gun them down in front of their son, whose hair turned white from the shock. That night, he swore an oath to "annihilate the forces of justice". He was killed by Green Arrow after he bombed Star City. * Prudence: * Query and Echo: Most commonly known as the Riddler's two henchwomen. * Rag Doll: An extremely flexible double-jointed criminal. * The Ratcatcher: Otis Flannegan is a one-time actual rat catcher who turned to a life of crime. He has the ability to communicate with and train rats and has used them to plague Gotham many times. * The Reaper:First Appearance: * Rhino: Frederick Rhino is the enormous, muscular, but not very intelligent henchman of the original Ventriloquist. * Roland Daggett: A corrupt corporate man. * Roxy Rocket: Roxanne "Roxy Rocket" Sutton was formerly a stunt double for a Hollywood actress. However, she lost her job after she tried to make her stunts so dangerous that no company would insure her. Out of work but still hungering for thrills, Sutton began stealing jewels using a specially designed one-seat rocket. * Sebastian Blackspell: Magic spell-using Batman villain. * Sewer King: A sewer dweller who used children to commit his crimes. * Scarlet: Sasha was kidnapped and tortured by the villain known as Professor Pyg. She was later found and manipulated by the Red Hood who transformed her into his partner named Scarlet. * Signalman: Phil Cobb is a small-time criminal in Gotham who was convinced that he needed a gimmick to hit it big. Inspired by the Bat-Signal, he became the Signalman, using signals, signs, and symbols in his crimes, but was inevitably defeated by Batman and Robin, time and again. * Sister Zero: Magdalene Kyle is the younger sister of Selina Kyle, the Catwoman. Unlike her villainous sister, Maggie is a nun. After a number of encounters with Selina that ended in traumatizing events, she became convinced that her sister was possessed by a "Cat Demon". Donning a nun habit and various weapons, Maggie seeks to save her sister's soul as "Sister Zero". * Solomon Grundy: Cyrus Gold was a Gotham City merchant who was murdered and thrown into Slaughter Swamp, where he was transformed into an undead zombie-like creature. * Spellbinder: A dangerous man who hypnotizes people to commit crimes. * The Spook: Val Kaliban is one of the world's greatest escape-artists, and uses his extraordinary abilities together with special effects to commit spectacular crimes and make people believe he is a real ghost. * The Squid: A former spy turned gangster, the Squid gathered a gang in order to become the leading criminal in Gotham and eliminate Batman. * The Tally Man: One of many serial killers. * Tarantula: Catalina Flores was a former FBI agent. She became a super hero inspired by her hero, the first Tarantula, to battle police corruption and gangs in Blüdhaven. She has a loose moral code and is willing to do anything to get what she wants. * Temblor: Temblor is large, tough and uses gloves which emit high powered blasts that can rip, tear and take down anything. * Three Ghosts of Batman: :* "Bat-Cop": :* "Bat-Bane": :* "Bat-Devil": * The Ten-Eyed Man: * The Terrible Trio: Warren Lawford, Armand Lydecker, and Gunther Hardwicke, a trio of criminals who wear masks of animals to commit crimes as the Fox, the Shark, and the Vulture. * Tiger Shark: Dr. Gaige is a famous oceanographer turned gangleader. He operates at sea and at Gotham's waterfront. * Tobias Whale: Whale moved to Gotham City where he attempted to become the boss of bosses after the death of the Black Mask. * Tranz-It Authority: The Tranz-It Authority hijacks trains. * The Trigger Twins: The Trigger Twins are two cowboys. They discovered they shared a great skill as gunslingers and became bandits. * Trogg: Trogg was one of three underlings in service to the crime lord known as Bane. He helped him to orchestrate a massive break-out at Arkham Asylum and facilitated Bane's efforts to wear down and ultimately cripple the Batman. * The Weasel: The Weasel is a man with all canine teeth. He appears as an enemy of Damian Wayne in the future. * Wonderland Gang: A gang of Lewis Carroll themed rogues headed by a mind controlled Mad Hatter. :* Tweedledum and Tweedledee: Dumfrey and Deever Tweed are a pair of cousins, whose similar looks often have them mistaken for identical twins. Fat and lazy, the pair prefer to direct henchmen to carry out crimes, while they retire to a safe haven. The pair often wear costumes modelled on their fictional namesakes. :* The March Hare: Harriet Pratt was a small-time grifter and part-time "escort" operating out of Gotham City before she was enlisted by Tweedledum and Tweedledee to join their Wonderland Gang. She was one of the first members besides the brainwashed Mad Hatter, and functions as the group's "March Hare." :* The Lion: Lewis Yarnell is a brawler, who uses claws in combat. :* The Unicorn: Skitch Benson wears a helmet, has an ornate unicorn horn, and is fixated on impaling it in Batman during combat. :* The Walrus: Moe Blum was known to be an enforcer for the Black Mask, but presumably was forced to find other avenues of work after the crimelord's untimely demise. He was enlisted by Tweedledum and Tweedledee to join their Wonderland Gang, functioning as "the Walrus" alongside a costumed woman known as "the Carpenter." :* The Carpenter: Jenna Duffy was a pickpocket and con artist operating out of Keystone City who moved to Gotham when she attracted unwanted police attention. Eventually, she was enlisted by Tweedledum and Tweedledee to serve as "the Carpenter" for their new Wonderland Gang. * The Wrath:First Appearance: Batman Special #1 An anti-Batman whose criminal parents were killed by then-rookie policeman Jim Gordon. As an adult, the Wrath became a cop-killer who copied many of Batman's methods. He perished in his first appearance. A second Wrath, Elliot Caldwell later appeared in Batman Confidential, revealed to be the first Wrath's sidekick and a twisted version of Robin. * Zebra-Man: * Zeiss:First Appearance: Batman #582 Philo Zeiss possesses surgically-enhanced speed, reflexes, vision-enhancing goggles, and extensive martial arts training. Brought up by the Sicilan mafia, Zeiss eventually became a contract killer and bodyguard. * Zombie: Zombie was an associate of the criminal Bane and was instrumental in helping Bane establish a foothold in Gotham City's criminal underworld. He assisted Bane in orchestrating a massive breakout at Arkham Asylum and also provided his employer with daily dosages of Venom. | HistoryText = Batman's villains are among the most iconic in comics. The Joker alone is considered one the most dangerous non powered villains and serial killers in comic book history. Secret Identity Over the years, knowledge of Batman's secret identity has been one of the most coveted and controversial desires of his rogues gallery. Many have tried, and a number have actually succeeded in discovering his secret identity. * Golden Age, many two-bit crooks actually learned of Bruce Wayne. However, they were either tricked into thinking they made a mistake or were killed in a predictable manner. This included, along with others, both Joe Chill and Lew Moxon, each of whom Batman revealed his identity to shortly before he intended to exact dire revenge. Joe Chill ran to tell his fellow thugs, but after he explained to them he was responsible for the Batman's creation, they murdered him for that; only realizing their folly once it was too late. Lew Moxon believed Bruce to be the ghost of Thomas Wayne (who Moxon had murdered), and crazed, ran out into the middle of the street where he was hit by a truck. * Ra's al Ghul deduced Batman's identity with almost no trouble. He had determined that whoever Batman was would make the perfect husband for his daughter, Talia, and embarked to find out for himself. Al Ghul simply figured out what equipment exactly would be required to live as Batman, and then deduced that Bruce Wayne was the only person on Earth regularly buying these. Ra's has used this information to make his attacks against Batman more personal, but does not fraternize with the regular villain community, and as such has never shared it. * During the events of "Strange Apparitions," Hugo Strange was able to capture Batman through a complex feint scheme with an illegitimate hospital, and numerous trained venomous snakes. Although many other villains have undergone controversy in this situation, Hugo Strange simply removed his mask without hesitation, and then actually usurped his identity, and became Bruce Wayne himself. Strange also auctioned his identity on the black market, although he would later retract his offer; an act for which boss Rupert Thorne was believed to have killed him for. However, it was later revealed that Strange had simply faked his own death, as he often does. * Bane was able to figure out Batman was Bruce Wayne in only a year. * The Riddler, seeking the answer to all of life's questions, yearned to learn Batman's secret identity perhaps more than any other villain. At one point when he was near death, he sunk himself into a Lazarus Pit to save his own life. In the ensuing bout of insanity, he simply realized Batman was Bruce Wayne. Later, he met Thomas Elliot, the man who would become "Hush." As Elliot had a massive grudge on Bruce Wayne, and the means to act upon it, the Riddler confided in him, and the two worked together launching a multi-pronged attack on various aspects of Batman's psyche during the events of "Batman: Hush", utilizing many other villains as their pawns. Although Hush remains aware of Bruce Wayne's alter ego, the Riddler devastatingly realized upon Batman's telling him that he couldn't actually really use the information to his advantage, as "a riddle everybody knows the answer to is worthless", which he wouldn't be able to stand. Later, the Riddler would undergo mental trauma, and it is unclear whether or not he currently remembers at all. * Catwoman has long been aware of Batman's identity, as she is no longer an enemy, but a functioning ally of his. * Killer Croc could potentially figure out Batman's identity by recognizing his scent is similar to Bruce Wayne's. Fortunately, Croc has yet to encounter Batman's alter-ego. * James Gordon, Jr. was able to figure out Batman's identity, due to the connection between his family and the Waynes.Detective Comics Vol 1 881 * Perhaps most controversial with Batman's identity is the Joker himself. The Joker, despite numerous opportunities to uncover it for himself, has expressed numerous desires not to know who he really is. As if he feels it would sort of cheapen or ruin their unusual relationship, as Batman is the only other person he actually seems to consider real. Perhaps most notably, in "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge," he has Batman unconscious and completely at his mercy, but elects to leave him alone as he feels it was only on a technicality, and he had always envisioned his victory against Batman as "at the end of a bitter struggle." The epilogue of Death of the Family reveals that the Joker is "incapable of even broaching the subject of Bruce Wayne". | RecommendedReading = * Batman: Knightfall * Batman: The Long Halloween * Batman: Dark Victory * Batman: No Man's Land * Batman: Hush * Batman: War Games * Batman: The Dark Knight Returns * Gotham Underground * Batman R.I.P. Related Articles * Gotham Organized Crime * Batman Family * Anti-Batman * Superman Villains * Green Arrow Villains | Equipment = * Joker Venom * Two-Face's Coin * The Penguin's Umbrella * Scarecrow's Fear Toxin * Mister Freeze's Ice Gun | Transportation = | Weapons = | Notes = * The term "Rogues Gallery" was first used in . | Trivia = * The very first villain that Batman faced was Alfred Stryker, on his debut appearance in ; and the first recurring Batman Villain was Doctor Death, who originally appeared in . | Wikipedia = List of Batman Family enemies | Links = }} Category:Batman Category:Batman villains